


Lonely Inferno

by Jaylee96



Category: None - Fandom
Genre: Other
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-17
Updated: 2019-01-17
Packaged: 2019-10-11 14:19:33
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,424
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17448608
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Jaylee96/pseuds/Jaylee96





	Lonely Inferno

The rain fell heavily down on the roof of the old house. Some of the rainwater leaked through the holes in the roof. The old tenants had died long ago, the house never bought again because of its ran down appearance and location. I was alone with only the memories to keep me company. And that was fine, for a time. Before it became lonely and boring. I wished I could just pass on to the ‘other place’ I had heard about in life. No such luck greeted me. Now I just sit here, on the windowsill, staring out at the empty yard, yearning for company. For someone to talk to.  
.  
I can’t tell you how long I sat there, watching the days pass by. Some like seconds, barely registering. Others feeling like a hallway I can’t get to the end of. Before I knew it, the woods surrounding the house I resided in got chopped down. The land cleared and houses were built. Joy flowed through me as I ran around the house, looking through all the windows, delighted at the change of scenery. That’s when I heard the front door open for the first time in years.  
.  
Jumping over the bannister and onto the first floor, I ran to the front door. And stopped, frozen. Now that I was in the company of others, though they couldn’t see me, I was scared. What would this, the change that I wished for years, bring me? What would happen to me?  
“Yeah, seems like a good fixer-upper. Everything looks like it’s in good shape. The foundation is still sturdy after all these years.” One of the men said, walking right past me and to the kitchen. “Though there is some water damage from the roof leaking. Nothing that extensive. We’ll have some people come in next week and take a look at everything.”  
.  
The other man just nodded and started to write into his little notebook. “I’ll set up the appointments and get them to you as soon as possible.”  
.  
The first man nodded, continuing to look around and smiled. “That’s fine with me. Thank you. If you don’t mind, would you leave me to look at the rest of the house?”  
.  
“Sure thing.” The second man said before turning and leaving.  
.  
I didn’t look at him as he left. My gaze was on the other man. It took me a while before I realized he was looking at me to. Like, actually at me. An unnerving emotion went through me as I had that thought. Moving to the right, then the left, I knew I was right. The male’s eyes followed me as I moved. “Y-you can see me?” My voice felt dry, airy, unused for decades.  
“Yes. I’m actually surprised you can’t remember me. I can see you haven’t changed at all.” The male said with a small smile. “Though it has been twenty-one years since we last seen each other. I’m actually relieved that I can still see you. I read that kids, when they grow up, can’t see things that they did when they were younger.” The guy shrugged. “I guess I’m just one of the few that can still see ghosts.”  
.  
Twenty-one years? I tried thinking back during the time before I was alone, before the elder people had died. They always had a little boy with them. I would play puzzles and read books to him. What was his name? I looked up at the man and scoured my mind for the boy’s name. “Alexander?” My voice a little stronger now, joy lacing the word. I remembered the boy clearer now. How we would play hide and seek around the house, his grandparents thinking I was his imaginary friend to fight away his loneliness.  
.  
Alexander nodded and looked around more, frowning a little. “You’ve been alone for quite some time. I was worried of that. It must have been lonely for you. I’m sorry it took me so long to buy this place.” He sighed and started to walk around me, heading towards the stairs. “You know, I loved it here. Playing with you, being with my grandparents. It was a haven, unlike at my house. My parents seemed to hate each other. Always yelling at throwing things. When they finally got a divorce, I had to choose. Mom, or dad. I chose my father, knowing I’d always be here if I did. That’s not what happened though.” Alexander turned to see if I was following him. When he seen that I was, he continued up the stairs and with his story.  
.  
“My mom actually fought for me, winning the custody battle even as I pleaded to be with my father. I don’t think my mom and I had the best relationship after that. Probably thinks that I hated her.” He took a deep breath and let me catch up to him at the top of the stairs. Once I was beside him, Alexander gave me a soft smile and started walking down the hall. Back to his old room. “I never could come back here. My mom would only let us meet up once in a blue moon. When my mom got the phone call that they passed away, I was heartbroken. More of the fact that I couldn’t ever come back here, there wasn’t any reason to.”  
.  
Walking into his boyhood bedroom, Alexander turned to me. “Are you happy here? Alone? I really only came here to do one thing. You see, I studied a lot on ghosts and how to set them free. I told myself that if you were still here, I would go through with it.”  
.  
I found myself shaking my head as he asked the question. “No. I’m not. At first, I didn’t mind being alone. But after a while it’s maddening.” I chose my next words carefully. “Even if people moved in around here and built families, I don’t think I would become any happier. In fact,I think it’ll be even lonelier. Unable to talk to anyone, just watching as they get older, move away, even die. For as long as I’ve been here, I haven’t seen anyone else like me. And if you can help me, I would like that very much.”  
.  
Alexander nodded his head in acceptance. “Okay. I’ll help you.” Almost like in slow motion, Alexander pushed his hand into his pocket and pulled out a pack of matches. “In most of the book’s I’ve read, it says that the place where a ghost resides needs to be burned down. That way, the ghost can move on to somewhere else.” Taking a few out of the matchbook, he lit them, not taking his eyes off of mine and dropped them onto the dry carpet.  
.  
The fire caught immediately, eating everything in its path like a hungry snake. Alexander didn’t move from the spot he was standing in. Anxiety gripped me. If he didn’t get out now… “Get out! You’ll die!” I shouted at him over the sound of the growing fire. He still didn’t move from his place. “Alexander!” The fire circled around him, growing closer to his shoes, hungry for more. I tried to push him through the door, out into the hallway but it was futile. My hands just went through him.  
.  
“I want to go with you.” He said calmly, a small smile on his lips. “My mother died of cancer a few years ago. My father wants nothing to do with me. My grandparents are dead. The rest of my family doesn’t care about me either. I told myself that if I could still see you, I would help you pass on and I would go with you.” Even as the fire ate at his feet,then his legs, Alexander didn’t flinch. “So that’s what I’m doing. And if this doesn’t work, we will have an eternity to figure out what will.”  
.  
“This isn’t what I wanted.” My voice came out small, sad as the fire finished what it started. Alexander fell in a heap on the floor and I watched as the fire spread down the hall. As I walked back downstairs, I heard loud wails pierce the sky. The fire, never sated, continued to eat the house I had occupied for so many years.  
.  
I felt, free, in a sense, as everything was engulfed in flames. No longer was I stuck in a sad, lonely house. Feeling someone’s presence come closer, I looked over at the flame covered stairs and smiled.


End file.
